As two long lists appeared in White Plague's laboratory, a beam of golden light suddenly illuminated Demacia's body, and his level instantly soared to level ten.
[Mission: Veil of Night - Completed.]
[Rewards: 1 optional special job change, +10,000 experience points, +500 gold, +20 free attribute points, +20 skill points.]
[Item: Special Job Transfer Scroll]
Attributes: Special job transfer item.
Effect: Can only be used after completing the basic job change. Upon use, one of five random special jobs can be chosen.
[Job Transfer Task Released: Level 10 reached.]
[Mission: Extraordinary Limits.]
Type: Job transfer task
Description: Visit any college and inquire about job transfers. Complete the task assigned by the instructor.
Rewards: Choose one from Warrior, Assassin, Mage, Alchemist, or Divine Magician.
Failure penalty: None
Introduction: The journey to the extraordinary begins. Is this a blessing or a curse for Xia?
Demacia eagerly examined his panel, but restrained himself from shouting with excitement. Still in the lab, he couldn't let his joy spill over just yet.
Before the Guards could finish their mission, could he already be the strongest player?
Baiyi observed Demacia thoughtfully. In less than two months, players had advanced remarkably fast. However, Baiyi had his concerns. As players began entering the extraordinary world in large numbers, version 2.0—touted as a "war version"—would unleash new challenges. Many dungeons triggered by players were relics from the war of gods, or remnants of ancient civilizations.
These dungeons were notoriously difficult but offered rich resources, often triggering conflicts between the Federation and other nations. Baiyi had already shared some insights with Diane about a dungeon near Dongwu City, but the level was high, and it was too far for most players to reach.
More importantly, Baiyi had noticed strange signs on his monitor. Unlike Demacia's straightforward list, this one was filled with words like "suspicious," "suspected," and "doubtful." It was clear not everyone on the list was part of Night Rose, but the mere suspicion was enough. The city lord's proposed self-examination of the Federation could now officially begin.
But the first step would be checking the parliamentarians. After that, they would need to focus on the city lord and the people on the list.
Suddenly, a stronger aura flashed as Wei Lu's power surged, indicating his own progress.
[Mission: Invitation of the Night - Completed.]
[Rewards: Optional special job transfer x 1, Experience +20,000, Gold +1,000, Free Attribute Points +50, Skill Points +50.]
[Level 10 reached, job transfer task triggered.]
[Mission: Dark Night.]
Type: Job transfer task
Description: Visit the Adventurer's Guild, find elf adventurers, and complete an adventure with them.
Rewards: Choose one from Warrior, Assassin, Mage, Alchemist, or Divine Magician.
Failure penalty: None
Introduction: What happens when the Night Elves join the wonders?
Wei Lu, usually calm, couldn't hide his excitement. This game felt so real. He didn't have to follow task requirements strictly. As long as he reached the goal, he could complete the mission. With all the attribute points going into endurance, no player would be able to break his defense unless they used technological weapons.
"Mr. White Plague, I've finished writing the lists."
The Guard, trying to suppress his excitement, handed over the lists—one for himself and one for Demacia—with a respectful tone.
Baiyi took the lists, examined them carefully. They were thorough, detailing names, occupations, the direction of each person's alignment, and the reasons for suspecting them to be members of Night Rose.
"Well done," Baiyi said, nodding. "What reward do you want?"
Demacia eagerly spoke up, "Mr. White Plague, I want to be a mage in the future. I need a necklace and a ring!"
Baiyi nodded, rummaging through his space ring. He pulled out two pieces of equipment from Night Rose members he'd collected and handed them over to Demacia.
"And you?" Baiyi asked, turning to Wei Lu.
"A dagger. I'm more suited to being an assassin," Wei Lu replied, eyeing the equipment. Though he had over a thousand gold coins, the weapons Baiyi provided were far better than anything he could buy.
Baiyi found a silver-level dagger in his space ring and handed it over. "You did well. Now, go ahead. I'll handle the rest."
"Understood," they both said, smiling, before heading out of the Dawn Pharmacy. Their most pressing task was complete, and both were eager to get some rest before logging out for the night.
Baiyi, meanwhile, took the lists and made his way toward the City Lord's Mansion. While he had authority over Dongwu City, the city lord would need to take charge of the Federation-wide matters.
As he walked, a dragon's roar echoed through the night sky. Baiyi looked up and saw Diane riding a red dragon that seemed far more obedient than expected. She winked at him before heading deeper into the Federation.
Baiyi couldn't help but pause. Was capturing a red dragon really that easy?
Shaking his head, he reminded himself that the Difeng family, with its vast influence and ties to the legendary Berserker, would undoubtedly support Diane. The family's future was limitless, especially given her connection to one of the four SSS-level geniuses.
When Baiyi arrived at the City Lord's Mansion, Martell, the Deputy Commander of the Apocalypse Legion, was already waiting at the door.
Seeing the list compiled by Demacia, Martell understood the gravity of the situation. The infiltration of Night Rose into the Federation was more dangerous than anyone had realized.
"Mr. White Plague," Martell greeted, his tone far more respectful than before. With their powerlessness against Baiyi, and Mossen's departure, he had no reason for dissatisfaction. In this world, strength was everything.
Baiyi handed over the list and spoke, "This is the current roster of Night Rose members, though not everyone has been identified yet. Among these 400 names, more than ten are already members of the Apocalypse Legion. This is a serious threat. We'll need the other two legions to step in as well."
Martell's expression darkened as he scanned the list. His shock deepened when he saw the name of a close confidant—someone he had known since childhood—on the list.
Baiyi kept walking, and Martell, now silent, followed suit. They made their way to the pavilion, where the city lord awaited.
"Lord City Lord," Baiyi called softly.
Eric, still engrossed in his tablet, looked up, not missing a beat. "Sit. What brings you here this time?"
The world of alchemy was changing rapidly, especially with the growing influence of the internet and entertainment. Alchemists were now focused not just on weapons and equipment but also on creating profitable content, like films.
Eric gestured to Baiyi, urging him to explain.
Baiyi handed over the list. "This is the compiled list of Night Rose members, courtesy of Qiguan."
Eric flipped through it briefly. "What's your take on this?"
Baiyi hesitated for a moment before answering, "The patrol can begin now. But if Night Rose members begin dying in large numbers, their gold will be liquidated, and some cities may fall into enemy hands."
Eric paused, then said, "We can't afford to waste this opportunity. Make sure the self-examination is thorough. We can't allow them to regroup."
Baiyi nodded. "I'll coordinate with the Federation. The military will take action as soon as the self-examination is done. As long as the three legion commanders hold the city defense, Night Rose won't cause further disruption."
Eric approved of the plan. "Not a bad idea. Proceed."
With that, Baiyi turned and left the City Lord's Mansion, heading back to the Dawn Pharmacy. He didn't need to worry about the next steps; the city lord and Heddinger would take care of things.
Five days later, a parliamentary session convened. The twenty-eight golden men who occupied the highest positions were unusually quiet, standing obediently before a figure much older than the rest. In this tense atmosphere, the moment arrived.
Heddinger's words rang out clearly, "Prove yourselves, and secure your future."
As tension gripped the room, one congressman's expression changed as he realized his own family's involvement with Night Rose.
The other congressmen immediately moved to act, no longer hesitating. A swift purge of Night Rose members began across the Federation.
On February 29, 1537, the Dawn Federation began a large-scale operation against Night Rose. Within hours, over 500 million lives were lost, including nearly a million Night Rose operatives.
The following day, a server-wide announcement flashed across all player screens:
[The main mission of the internal test has been completed. The internal test will close in thirty days. Public beta version 1.0 will launch in ninety days.]
The forums exploded with excitement. Players eagerly awaited the public beta, but many couldn't help but speculate about the impact of this large-scale operation. The game's stakes had just risen to unprecedented levels.
As Demacia and the Guard discussed the news, they found themselves on the front lines of an even larger conflict. There was no turning back now.